STAYING OPTIMISTIC IN A SCARY WORLD

There is literally no escaping the fact that the world right now is a scary place. We have terror attacks happening every other day, a Parliament who are in full control of our future but can’t agree about anything (hello Brexit) and a couple of megalomaniac heads of state who may or may not blow each other, and the rest of us, up. Not to mention the fact that people are still starving around the world and we’re killing our planet for no real reason. It’s all really fun.

I try to keep up at least a little bit with what’s going on in the world, but, as I’m sure many other people find, right now, the news is kind of making me feel like burying my head under the duvet and never, ever coming out again.

But, as we all know, life goes on, so living in a pillow fort – whilst fun – is not really an option. Nor is never thinking about it though – in my experience, repressing your anxiety isn’t the answer either (unless panic attacks/ existential crises are your jam).

So that’s why I think we should all make a mid-year resolution to be more optimistic (in a realistic way). Simply put, there’s no point in making ourselves miserable about things that are, in many ways, beyond our control. There’s also no point in catastrophising about things that could be.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t be aware of what’s going on around us. Politics, equality, environmentalism et al are all of paramount importance. No matter what we might like to think, they all affect our lives and there are small things we can do to effect change on each of them; whether it’s making sure to use your vote at every election/ referendum, donating to charity or volunteering, creating and using your platforms to share whatever’s on your mind with the world (trust me, it’s cathartic). Whatever you do, it’s better than feeling like you’re out of control of your own life.

And if everything else just seems like to much, it’s worth remembering that taking care of yourself is just as important. So if you’re feeling like everything’s a little less than rosy, a little bit of self care can go a long way in helping you to look on the bright side.